Future Trends in Usability: Virtual Reality and Adaptive Systems

Share this:

During a recent MedTech Intelligence event about human factors, an attendee posed an interesting question: What is the future trend with usability and human factors engineering, and which tool do you think is the most effective in identifying user experiences?

Here’s what two leading subject matter experts in the human factors engineering field had to say.

[As far as] future trends: As companies realize the value of doing this entire activity, they’re not just forced to do it because of regulatory [requirements], they will [also] see that at the end of the day, their users are going to be happier [much] faster with their products than without this type of work. The trend will be pushing towards integrated human factors throughout the entire development process and having a team that transitions from early, up-front [work to] maintaining those user needs throughout the development, manufacturing and throughout post market and [even in] resolving issues. That’s one big trend we’ll see happen with human factors.

With respect to the most important tool: There are many important tools that should be used throughout the process, including upfront identification of user needs, being able to use analysis from the human factors domain to support design-development solutions, anthropometry, work flow analysis, etc.,—all sorts of different methods that you can employ to help you get at what is the best design solution; using risk assessments to inform and improve product; using usability testing. I don’t think there’s one most important tool; you should be employing all sorts of different tools along this journey.

1: What I see in the future is the development of adaptive systems. It’s not so true yet in the medical area, but as the Internet of Things comes along, you’re going to have products that adapt to the individual users rather than are designed once and that’s it. Usability testing in effect, the type of actual use—will also [influence] the nature of the product. The prototype is Google. Google adapts—every time you do a search, it knows it’s you and it adapts its search to the next search you do. That’s the wave of the future.

Steve Wilcox, Ph.D., principal, Design Science

2: The next thing is virtual reality. In more sophisticated forms of simulation, I have to believe [this is] going to part of our testing process, especially in [products] that you can’t test on a real person like a surgical instrument, [which] are tested in an animal procedure. In the future, I see that happening in virtual reality.

3: Rapid prototyping: It’s getting more and more sophisticated. One of the things I see beginning to happen now (and will continue in the future) is where you do really rapid iterations where you have the prototyping tools right in the usability testing room and after each test, you make alterations with 3-D printing or rapid software prototyping. So in the early stages, you can iterate after virtually every participant. It’s a really efficient to get things at least closer to where they need to be before you get more formal in the process.

Related Articles

While a systems engineering approach will not, in and of itself, resolve all challenges currently faced by the medical device industry, it is the cornerstone and framework for allowing organizations to begin addressing these challenges by adopting a more holistic,…

Over the past few years, systems engineers and the role of systems engineering have all but disappeared from the medical device industry landscape. The impact on many organizations has been significant - slipped schedules, cost overruns, difficulty in component integration,…

About The Author

Maria Fontanazza has more than a decade of experience in journalism, marketing, and communications within the medical device industry. She was previously marketing communications manager and market research manager at Secant Medical, Inc., a manufacturer of biomedical textiles and advanced biomaterials. Fontanazza was also an editor at MD+DI and has authored articles that have appeared in domestic and international industry publications. Fontanazza has a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications with a concentration in New Media and Visual Design, and a Minor in Fine Arts, from St. Michael’s College in Colchester, VT. Follow her industry insights on Twitter at @MariaFontanazza. Contact Maria

Upcoming Events & Webinars

Deficiencies in process validation and other aspects of production and process control earn more FDA enforcement actions than any other quality function except CAPA. This two-day workshop addresses key issues in process validation, including risk-based determination of processes to be validated, FDA and 13485:2016 requirements, key process validation elements and best practices, statistical and other tools, maintaining the validated state, and documentation.

The medical technology industry is witnessing a growing number of mergers and acquisitions, and poses a unique set of challenges when it comes to due diligence. This interactive conference, mixing didactic sessions with discussion and case studies, is led by senior industry professionals who have gone through mergers and acquisitions and seen both the good and the bad, focuses on those issues unique to medical technology companies.

Rules and procedures for import and export of medical devices are growing more so with new rules and with changes in international trade agreements. Customs and FDA have been requesting more information and conducting more inspections and examinations than before. Mistakes in procedures or documentation can lead to withheld or seized shipments and consequent financial lost to U.S. and foreign manufacturers, suppliers, and brokers. This one-day program with speakers from government, industry, and consulting firms will cover the laws and regulations, recent changes, procedures, best practices, and common mistakes.

The regulations are there for anyone to read, but even the largest, best-prepared companies have large teams struggling with implementation. There is no easy answer, but we are all in this together, and by pooling thoughts and solutions can expedite the process for everyone. This two-day workshop convenes experts from major companies, notified bodies, and consulting firms to share strategies, procedures, experiences, and challenges.

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

You can adjust all of your cookie settings by navigating the tabs on the left hand side.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

We use tracking pixels that set your arrival time at our website, this is used as part of our anti-spam and security measures. Disabling this tracking pixel would disable some of our security measures, and is therefore considered necessary for the safe operation of the website. This tracking pixel is cleared from your system when you delete files in your history.

We also use cookies to store your preferences regarding the setting of 3rd Party Cookies.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

3rd Party Cookies

This website uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site, and the most popular pages.

Keeping this cookie enabled helps us to improve our website.

Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!

Tracking Beacon

We also use a Tracking Beacon from our email services provider Act-On that allows us to track interest in articles and subject areas of interest to our Newsletter Subscribers.

Keeping this beacon enabled helps us in deciding the topics that are of interest to our Newsletter Subscribers.

Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences!

Cookie Policy

A browser cookie is a small piece of data that is stored on your device to help websites and mobile apps remember things about you. Other technologies, including Web storage and identifiers associated with your device, may be used for similar purposes. In this policy, we say “cookies” to discuss all of these technologies.

Our Privacy Policy explains how we collect and use information from and about you when you use This website and certain other Innovative Publishing Co LLC services. This policy explains more about how we use cookies and your related choices.

How We Use Cookies

Data generated from cookies and other behavioral tracking technology is not made available to any outside parties, and is only used in the aggregate to make editorial decisions for the websites. Most browsers are initially set up to accept cookies, but you can reset your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent by visiting this Cookies Policy page. If your cookies are disabled in the browser, neither the tracking cookie nor the preference cookie is set, and you are in effect opted-out.

In other cases, our advertisers request to use third-party tracking to verify our ad delivery, or to remarket their products and/or services to you on other websites. You may opt-out of these tracking pixels by adjusting the Do Not Track settings in your browser, or by visiting the Network Advertising Initiative Opt Out page.

You have control over whether, how, and when cookies and other tracking technologies are installed on your devices. Although each browser is different, most browsers enable their users to access and edit their cookie preferences in their browser settings. The rejection or disabling of some cookies may impact certain features of the site or to cause some of the website’s services not to function properly.

Individuals may opt-out of 3rd Party Cookies used on IPC websites by adjusting your cookie preferences through this Cookie Preferences tool, or by setting web browser settings to refuse cookies and similar tracking mechanisms. Please note that web browsers operate using different identifiers. As such, you must adjust your settings in each web browser and for each computer or device on which you would like to opt-out on. Further, if you simply delete your cookies, you will need to remove cookies from your device after every visit to the websites. You may download a browser plugin that will help you maintain your opt-out choices by visiting www.aboutads.info/pmc. You may block cookies entirely by disabling cookie use in your browser or by setting your browser to ask for your permission before setting a cookie. Blocking cookies entirely may cause some websites to work incorrectly or less effectively.

The use of online tracking mechanisms by third parties is subject to those third parties’ own privacy policies, and not this Policy. If you prefer to prevent third parties from setting and accessing cookies on your computer, you may set your browser to block all cookies. Additionally, you may remove yourself from the targeted advertising of companies within the Network Advertising Initiative by opting out here, or of companies participating in the Digital Advertising Alliance program by opting out here.